Shu Lanzhou patted Zhang He reassuringly. "Don't worry, he won't find out. I'll go talk to Senior right now and ask him not to say anything. As long as he keeps quiet, President Mu won't hear a word of it!"
"Then hurry, you mustn't let it slip!" Zhang He looked tearful and anxious, practically begging her.
The girl wasn't very bright to begin with, and now that she was in love, she looked even more foolish!
Shu Lanzhou felt both amused and sympathetic. She waved to Zhang He as she turned and walked out of the dorm.
Mu Side had just messaged her—he was waiting downstairs!
Shu Lanzhou was in such a rush that she had to slow her steps upon seeing Mu Side at the entrance.
She hadn't even reached him yet, but her cheeks were already flushed pink.
It had been a few days since they last saw each other, and she really missed him.
But she didn't dare show how eager she felt!
Just as she was thinking of approaching more gracefully, she saw Mu Side spread his arms wide toward her.
Shu Lanzhou's heart fluttered with delight, a wide smile lighting up her face. There was no holding back now—her legs moved on their own as she broke into a run.
Like a joyful bird, she dove straight into his embrace.
Mu Side wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I missed you."
"I missed you too!" Shu Lanzhou mumbled against his chest, her voice muffled but full of emotion.
Mu Side chuckled softly near her ear, clearly in a great mood. "At least you still have a conscience."
"I always have a conscience," she huffed quietly.
Mu Side's smile deepened as he pulled her even closer. Shu Lanzhou couldn't help but smile wider, her joy overflowing.
They didn't hug for too long—it was right at the entrance of the girls' dorm, after all. A bit too public.
Mu Side took a half-step back and reached out to hold her hand. "Auntie asked me to bring you home to the Mu residence. She told you, right?"
"She mentioned it when classes ended," Shu Lanzhou blinked. "Said she'd see me there tonight, but didn't say why. Can you tell me?"
Mu Side curved his lips into a smile. "Probably because Han Weicheng and the others have been stirring up trouble lately. She's worried it might affect your mood and wants to cheer you up a bit."
"They're not worth affecting me," Shu Lanzhou said with a blink.
Mu Side turned to her. "Really? Not even those people who plagiarized your thesis to climb the ranks?"
"Nope," she shook her head firmly.
Why would she be upset? She was actually hoping Lin Muyao would keep making noise, get more attention. After all, she'd dug a massive pit for her!
The kind so deep that once you fall in, there's no climbing out. And for that, Lin Muyao needed to climb higher… and higher.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold—and Lin Muyao had done more than just plagiarize once. Back then, Shu Lanzhou hadn't pursued it further because she lacked solid evidence.
But this time? This time would be different.
"What kind of schemes are spinning in that little head of yours?" Mu Side looked at her smiling eyes, amused.
"I'm not scheming," Shu Lanzhou pouted. "I'm planning! 'Don't mess with me unless you want me to mess with you harder'—that kind of plan!"
She raised her little fist, determined not to be underestimated.
Mu Side laughed the whole way to the car.
They joked and chatted all the way to the roadside vehicle.
Once inside, Mu Side's expression turned serious as he brought up a more pressing topic. "Tell me—what's going on between Zhang He and my second uncle?"
Shu Lanzhou frowned slightly, recalling her earlier suspicions.
"Zhang He said your uncle collapsed near the end of his shift. He asked her to keep it secret—told her not to let anyone know. That sounds suspicious to me."
"What do you suspect?" Mu Side's brows furrowed.
He'd been around his second uncle nearly every day recently and hadn't noticed anything off. He hadn't even seen him take medication in secret.
"I'm not sure," Shu Lanzhou said, shaking her head. "But I don't think it was just low blood sugar. There must be another reason. If only I could check his pulse somehow."
"That might be difficult," Mu Side sighed, rubbing his temples.
Shu Lanzhou's eyes widened slightly. "Wait… you already checked his pulse in secret? What did you find? Is there something wrong?"
"No," Mu Side shook his head. "At least from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, there's nothing noticeably wrong right now. We'll probably need to do some other kinds of tests."
If Uncle Mu Rongxie were the cooperative type who'd agree to medical checkups, they wouldn't have to sneak around trying to investigate him in the first place.
Shu Lanzhou looked frustrated.
"Alright, stop frowning. I'll take care of my uncle," Mu Side said, pinching her cheek. "Sit tight, I'm taking you home."
He leaned over to fasten her seatbelt, and as he pulled back, he pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Shu Lanzhou's face turned bright red in an instant. She quickly turned her head away, not daring to meet his eyes.
That was the second time!
He really did like her!
Shu Lanzhou was so giddy inside, she could barely contain her smile.
Their eyes met through the car window. That fleeting look, filled with unspoken affection, sent both their hearts racing.
The smiles on their faces were as sweet as honey.
While Shu Lanzhou was happily on her way back to the Mu residence, He Xin was also wrapping up his day at work.
Ni Sheng passed by his office. "He Xin, want to grab dinner?"
"No thanks, I've got something at home," He Xin replied, waving a hand as he walked out of the research institute.
Ni Sheng shook his head. Everyone at the institute said He Xin was a hopeless wife-pleaser, with eyes only for his wife. They said he was living off her, had little talent, and the only reason he got into the institute was because of the Mu family's influence years ago.
No major achievements, no ambition—just a man revolving around his wife all day.
It was because of these rumors that Ni Sheng had chosen to join Lin Jiayi's team back then.
But who would have thought…
Ni Sheng recalled how his personal achievements had mysteriously become "team efforts"—again and again. He grew dissatisfied and confronted Lin Jiayi about it.
But Lin Jiayi, relying on her background and power, held back his promotion paperwork. In the end, he had no choice but to keep quiet. Only then did he barely get a minor title upgrade.
Compared to his peers, his advancement was laughably insignificant. But that wasn't even the worst part.
The worst part was never getting personal credit for his own accomplishments.
As a middle-aged man, Ni Sheng felt the sting of regret and longing. He needed something to prove himself.
When He Xin suddenly signed on to the medical college's new project, it sparked hope in him.
He didn't hesitate to join He Xin's team.
At first, influenced by all the gossip, he'd had his doubts. But by the end of the project's first phase, he realized how wrong—how completely wrong—he had been.
He Xin wasn't talentless—he was just low-key. He never sought personal glory. His so-called "wife obsession" was built on a foundation of real, meaningful advancement in the field of medicine.
He was a true medical researcher—great, selfless, and deeply devoted to his wife.
Ni Sheng knew he could never be as noble as He Xin, but for this project, he had given his whole heart. He wanted it to succeed no matter what.
He just hadn't expected to hit a wall during the mid-stage experiments… and even be shown up by a young girl…
With mixed feelings, Ni Sheng walked into the cafeteria, still wondering whether he should redo the experiment using Shu Lanzhou's formula—when he heard someone call him.
"Team Leader Ni, upstairs is asking for you." It was Lin Jiayi.
She was all smiles, her posture slightly deferential. Even though she was in her forties, her charm didn't lose out to girls in their twenties.
When she saw Ni Sheng unmoved, Lin Jiayi added with a smile, "Professor Han keeps mentioning you. Says he's been meaning to get to know you. Would you mind joining us for dinner to chat a bit?"